The Good, The Bad and all that's inbetween

Its been a few weeks since I blogged, nearly a month actually, oops how time flies when you are having fun or not having fun LOL.

So I thought I'd start with the stuff that is bugging me lately and I know I've mentioned it before but it still feels a real concern or issue for me.  The lack of social life and feeling excluded by friends, I know people will say that my job of the last 2 years has been the cause of a lot of my lack of social life, with working long hours and sometimes awkward hours and it is that.  But its also the fact I feel sometimes I don't hear from people unless its for something they need and yeah last few weeks I've been fortunate to be invited and actually able to attend a few things and have a good weekend.  But it really feels like its far and few between, there are many weekends when I am just at home, sat by myself at home or in the park reading.  Now I love reading and I don't mind doing that, but it would be nice to have the phone ring and people say we're going out in a couple of hours to have dinner or go sit in a bar, wanna come.  And friends whom I made even in my office, throwing out the old platitude about staying in touch and it doesn't happen.  Its tough, its very tough and sometimes I feel like shutting myself away from the outside world as if anyone would actually notice.

Maybe its just a mood at the moment as I had sad news from back home on Thursday as a member of the Hull Jewish Community passed away on Wednesday Max Gold Solicitor and former Chairman of Hull Kingston Rovers.. (okay I was more a fan of the other Rugby club in the town but still!!) And a memory of him that will always remain is from my bar mitzvah when he made a speech and pointed out that he and my Dad and one other had grown up in prams together.  I also had the pleasure of spending 2 weeks unpaid work experience at his firm back in my younger days.  Its somewhat ironic that I only did it because I needed to do something for the work experience and now I've spent the last 2 years working in a Law Firm in Israel and I'm going onto work in a legal department elsewhere in June.

Onto the good, my cousin Joel and his wife Rebekah welcomed a little boy into the world and I'm looking forward to meet my new cousin this coming week.  I wish Joel and Rebekah and all Mazal Tov :-).

Personal news, although if you are on my Facebook, you already know, I've got a new job.  Starting 3 weeks tomorrow I will be working in the Legal Department of a Haircare company. Its administrative and paralegal work, so it will be a new challenge and yes I'm nervous, but I hope my experience at the current place of work will hold me in good stead and allow me to not only settle but thrive there.

Also thinking about my birthday in just under 13 weeks now, its a big one... not mentioning the number but most of you probably know how old I am.  And since its one of those birthdays I want to do something good for it... So for those of you out there, who actually read this, put your thinking caps on and send me your ideas...

Right I am off to stare a the television screen and hope Sunderland can do to Swansea what they did to Hull last week, because if they don't, I think its back to the Championship for us again.... Come on Sunderland..... yeah I said it... I feel bad now.....need something to take away the feeling of wanting them to win out of mouth..oh good I have chocolate.

yes I'm rambling... but who would be a football fan.  Comment, get in touch, you know the drill. Bye all.

Heading Home or How I spent my last couple of days of holiday

So I'm in the last few hours of my holiday, before I head to the airport in the early hours and fly back home to Israel.

It’s been a nice time, disappointing in that I wasn't able to see people due to Passover, but still nice to see the family and I did manage to catch up with a couple of people over the weekend and finally have a long chat with a friend who I worked with at Network Rail, so that was nice. 

So anyway the last two days have been busy enough, yesterday was the last day of Passover in the UK. If I was in Israel, it would have been over on Monday night.  But as I was in the UK, I observed the 8th day, breaking it last night with a muffin and some chocolate from an Easter egg.  Also we visited Tesco's after the festival was over.  It’s quite interesting being there after 9pm seeing all the people coming in.  

Today I went with my parents to the Trafford Centre, went around the shops, bought a case for my new sunglasses and a Blu-ray, had lunch out as well which was nice and then just come back from a nice dinner of Bangers and Mash at JS Restaurant  with a starter of breaded mushrooms :-).  Very tasty. 

Now it’s back at my parents, relaxing before an early start.

I have to say it’s tough to head back, I think everyone kind of feels that way when they're ending a holiday. But being back with the parents was good.

Anyway, back home tomorrow and back to reality.  

Fighting a losing battle?

Hi all,

So been a long time since I actually posted.  For those of you who are on the Facebook page I commented that my head wasn't in the right place and those who I have talked to, know what has been going in regards to one aspect of my life.  But I feel like I need to post, just to write again.

So since the beginning of the year, work has been very consuming of my life, I suppose I should be proud or honored that my work seems to need me a lot, which is why I'm working long hours and such.  But I don't feel that, in some ways I feel so unappreciated by work or at least in certain places of work.  I know I do a good job, but it feels like its not noticed.

I'm looking to move on, but I feel like its a losing battle, many applications, very little response and even then the interviews I haven't gone as well as I could.  Whether its my lack of experience or they are looking for something else that I don't have, I don't know.  I've even asked for feedback on the rare occasions I get a rejection, but I never get an answer.  I think my CV is in the best state it has been. Like I said I don't know where the fault is.  Is my mindset for interviews in a bad place, is something making me fail? I don't know, but as I'm approaching 5 and a half years in Israel, I'm not sure where my head is in regards to work in Israel.

Socially my life has kind of sucked, probably because of work and working long hours, I'm still unsure how much I've missed out, what opportunities have I lost because of it.  Still I have managed to hang out with friends, but when I come back to Israel from the UK, I must fight past this and make an effort to reconnect with my friends and get out and about.

And yes currently I'm in the UK on a holiday to enjoy Pesach with the family.  Things kind of not gone my way while I've been here, in terms of wanting to visit London.  Due to circumstances beyond my control I missed out on that and it was one of the things I was looking forward to, seeing my friends and their kids.  But I hope to come back to UK sooner rather than later and not leave it to 2 years this time before I get back to the UK this time.  I did get to see a couple of friends which was good, but one of the drawbacks of being in England for Pesach and Easter time is getting to see people.

The fact is I'm not sure where my head is, Israel is the place where I want to be, but right now I'm feeling very unsure of myself and where I'm going and where I stand and feeling very isolated.

Review of 2016 and a look ahead

So 2016 the year that was, a very eventful year if your part of the celebrity world, people sadly passing on. As one friend referred to it 2016: The year of the Deadening!

But my year, it was an interesting year, a year of not much change, a variety of social events and dates.  Its left me feeling glad to see the back of 2016.

So I continued to work and I'm still in the same job.  Which is now my longest job in Israel, which I consider quite an accomplishment, because as people know back when I first came here, I did bounce from job to job unfortunately.  I've seen people move on from the office though and while I wish them luck and happy they have moved on to new things, I do miss some of them.  Apparently they can't take me with them LOL.

Socially its been an interesting year, I've been out and about, seeing friends and having fun.  Some regrets, as I could have gotten out more than I did, but this year I hope for more opportunities.  I've dated over the last year and though they never worked out, I think I've learnt something from them... at least I hope I did.

Well my parents and sister visited in March over Purim time and that was cool, and then my parents again came to visit in September and its nice to have seen them.  They're currently on a cruise and I think they are somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, but I'm not sure... its nice to be retired and able to get away.

Onto 2017, I could say I have many hopes, aspirations etc for the year.  One I suppose is to remain healthy, I've been successful in losing weight, so far 6 kg in just under a year and 7 centimeters around the waist.  I want to continue that and lose a few more kilos, ideally before my birthday in August, I'd love to have lost another 5 kg, but we will see, as I said in a Facebook post, its a marathon and not a sprint and lots of constant work.

Otherwise I would hope this year brings me more opportunities both socially and work wise, but above all else I hope its a good year for me, for my family and for my friends.

Oh and I plan to blog a lot more often, I'm thinking of changing this to a website, maybe have people guest blog if they want.  Let me know what you think, anyway. I'm off to relax and hope Hull City can beat Swansea to progress in the FA Cup.

Drifting

Its been a while since I posted, mainly because nothing much has changed for me.  Essentially all that has changed is the weather where I am LOL.

I'm not even sure why I'm posting, but the current situation is, I'm still in the same job, actually approaching my 2 year anniversary where I am.  Which I think is my 3rd longest job ever in my working life, behind Network Rail and Toys R Us.  I think its because its pretty quiet at the moment and I don't like it being quiet, I much prefer to be busy, even though I can help other departments.

Socially I've gotten out and about the last few months, kept myself pretty busy but nothing major to report in that, though I did attend my first ever Thanksgiving dinner which was fun and I got to see friends and I have things coming up to look forward to, so that is something good.

But generally lately I've been feel a bit like I'm treading water, drifting through life and not going anywhere fast.  Maybe its wrong and I'm actually doing okay and I just can't see it, but I guess I'm just feeling a bit jaded and cynical at the moment.  I'm sure it will pass but right now it doesn't feel good.

Still I'm okay, right now I've got my cup of tea and following Hull City as they currently lead Crystal Palace 1-0.  So Up the Tigers and hope you are all well.

5 Years in Israel.

Well it’s been a while since I blogged and I can't think of a better opportunity to blog again, in that today is my 5 years Aliyah anniversary.  October 24, 2011 I stepped onto a plane to Israel and set out to build a new life. I think in this post, it will be a little look back at the last 5 years and see what I've accomplished

Well in the 5 years I have been here I've lived in 6 different apartments in 4 different cities, not sure if that is an accomplishment or just really a sign that I have not settled... or rents in Israel and Tel Aviv in particular are really high!!  

Seriously though I enjoyed the first 5 months living in Haifa in the dorms, while I took Ulpan and although my Hebrew isn't still the greatest, I did learn and I can have a certain level of conversation.  Rishon was fun, I don't think I was ready to live in Tel Aviv at the start, it took having to commute to Tel Aviv, for work and for meeting up with people to realise that I needed to move here, if I wanted to get things going.  So after my first 18 months I made it to Tel Aviv and spent 6 months in an apartment, that the dirt was so bad, I think if the building was destroyed the dirt would not be effected.  After that I moved to Ramat Aviv and shared with my good friend Kylie and eventually the little devil aka Kiki whom you all know from my statuses 'The diary of Kiki'!  And I was settled there and enjoyed my time, even got the first of living alone when Kylie moved in with her now husband Yuval, which was both exciting and strange, as I had been used to having someone around to talk to a lot of the time.  Then I moved on, back into Tel Aviv and lived alone for another year, it was certainly closer to everything, but with the rent going up at the end of the 1st year, I chose to move on and here I am now living in Ramat Gan for the time being.  It’s being a variety of different apartments and I've hosted guests and some of them have kept coming back, so I guess the apartments are okay.

Onto the work side of things, I have struggled in this aspect, though mostly settled the past 3 years, in the beginning after Ulpan it wasn't easy and certainly in the 1st year I job hopped, not able to settle in a role or they didn't feel I was suited which is tough.  After doing the typical sales jobs that Olim seem to find themselves in and even spending a few weeks as a Paralegal.  I was in a bad position, 5 months without work is bad anywhere in the world, but when you live in a country where it’s not your native language it feels even harder and there were times, that maybe I could have gone back and I don't think anyone would have blamed me for doing so.  But I stayed and kept going, eventually shortly after moving to Tel Aviv found a 10 week contracted position and it was good, got me started again and I got to hang out with a friend from Ulpan during that time so it was good. Then I moved onto a position in Binyamina and since January last year I've been in the same role at a law office as an English Typist.  So I think I've managed the job market here okay, but I'm still looking for the job to settle in that I can be really, really happy with.

Socially, I'm not sure if my life is better than it was in England, I am getting out and about, if not as much as I would like, but I have made some good friends here, whom I can count on, if I need help or even to go for Rosh Hashanah :-).  But I do often feel a bit left out and I see pictures of my friends having a good time and I haven't been asked to join them.  Otherwise social wise it’s all good I think.

I think I've covered everything that's mainly happened in the last 5 years.  I could mention that I have appeared on Israeli TV, in a segment about Aliyah, I've also appeared in an article that was done on someone else about their business in a newspaper.  So I've had that happen to me.

But after all that, I think the main thing I've accomplished is, that I'm still here... A lot of people I came with and was on Ulpan with have gone back, so that I am still in Israel, still working to build a life it an achievement.  So all I can say is, here's to the next 5 years. 

Updating the blog and its nearly Rosh Hashana

Well its been a while since I've posted and I'm sorry for that, I would have posted more, but feels like I've been very busy.

So since I last posted, there have been more departures at work and a few new arrivals.  It actually feels like a train station, people coming and going all the time. A former colleague remarked to me that it was so different when he dropped in a couple of weeks ago as he didn't really know anyone and I agree, while there are people still in the office who have been there since before I started and probably be there long after I've gone, it feels like a lot has been lost.  But the new people are cool so I have no complaints.

I've also continued my own search for a new position, my next opportunity.  Its tough and I'll admit I'm finding it tough, I've actually had interviews but no success and like anyone I could hide away and let it get to me.  But I'm doing everything I can to find the next opportunity, to continue my settling in Israel.

I'm almost at the 5 year mark here and am I settled, I'm not sure. Life is hard and its a challenge, but I'm still fighting to make it here.

Meanwhile, I've had a visit from my parents and they stayed with me for ten days and it was nice to spend time with them and get out and about.  It will now be another 6 months before I see them again though as I plan to visit England in April.

Socially I've gotten about, I had great fun at a Nefesh B'Nefesh games night.  Yes I came last in Ticket to Ride, but it was a great evening and then I've had fun seeing friends over the last couple of weeks.

Tomorrow is the start of the Chaggim, by this time tomorrow Rosh Hashana will have commenced.  For me I will be spending it with my good friends Melissa and Derek Pursell down in Beersheva, which is always fun.  Then onto Yom Kippur, which I'm not sure where I will be for it though.

Otherwise looking forward to dogsitting for two different dogs, 1 for Bella my cousins dog for the evening and then in November for Kiki, so the Diary of Kiki will return then :-).

Anyway thats all for now, in a few weeks I will do a 5 years in Israel blog.  But for now, Shana Tova, I wish all my Jewish family and friends a Sweet and Happy New Year.